Friday, October 21. 2005

The government has decided to lift a two-year-old ban on U.S. beef imports, a Foreign and Trade Ministry source said Thursday. Imports were suspended when BSE or mad cow disease broke out in the U.S.

“It has been concluded that there are no problems with the safety of U.S. beef,” the source said. “So the ministry will announce the lifting of the ban next month.”

The government plans to negotiate over detailed import conditions with the U.S. within the year, and beef imports would resume during the first half of next year.

It's nice to see that one of our bigger export markets might, I'll have to see it to believe it, be opening up. Australia stepped up to fill the market with American beef gone so it will be a fight to get our market share back. Our product will manage it though.

A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. Milton Friedman

UPDATE: I see Thailand has opened up their market too. I don't think we exported much to them like we did South Korea, but every little bit helps.